St. Nicholas Day December 19 is a symbol of faith in miracles. A day of surprises and pleasant surprises. Traditionally, on this day, parents put gifts under the pillows for their children. Many make gifts for adults.
Exists tradition, according to which, during a visit to Palestine, Nicholas decided to pray in the temple, went to the doors, which were locked. But the doors were flung open so He could enter the temple.
Nicholas the Wonderworker pray for their health and loved ones, for the fulfillment of their most secret desires.
The people believe that on the night of December 18-19, St. Nicholas walks the earth and helps all those in need and those who lack something in life.
Known many parables thanks to which Nicholas acquired the name of the Wonderworker.
Once St. Nicholas decided to help three sisters, whom no one wanted to marry because of poverty. On the night of Christmas Eve, he tossed them three bags of gold coins through the chimney. The sisters that evening hung their washed stockings to dry by the fireplace. Gift bags from St. Nicholas ended up in them.
After helping the three sisters, Nikolai continued to provide support for the poor townspeople, remaining unnoticed and surprising the whole city. He quietly brought toys and warm clothes for children, medicines for the sick into their homes.
In folk legends, Saint Nicholas protects people from natural disasters and on the water.
For example, one of the legends says that he once resurrected a sailor and has since become the patron saint of sailors. He is also known for saving the city of Mira from a terrible famine and often helping poor travelers.
According to belief If you make a wish on Saint Nicholas Day, it will surely come true. For Nicholas the Wonderworker to fulfill your desire, it must be sincere and come from the heart.
Buy 40 church candles and (if you don't have one) an icon of St. Nicholas. On December 19, place the candles in a circle in front of the icon and light them. And while all the candles are burning, sincerely ask St. Nicholas the Pleasant to help you fulfill your desire. You need to think about your cherished desire until all the candles are burning.
There are special prayers to St. Nicholas for intercession, for the fulfillment of a wish, for good luck, for marriage and marriage, with which you can turn to Nikolai Ugodnik.
To be fulfilled - ask correctly
It is considered that prayer service to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for the fulfillment of a wish has the greatest power on the day of celebration.
However, it would be a mistake to think that after reading the prayers to the saint for the fulfillment of what was planned, immediately your cherished dream will come true. After all, this is a kind of sacrament, where there are rules.
First, calm down by thinking about your dreams. Are your thoughts pure? Why do you need what you want to ask for? Will the fulfillment of desires benefit you or harm others? If so, then it is better to rethink spiritual values. Imagine the possible consequences of bad thoughts.
In order for the prayer to the saint to be heard, you will need icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker(or you can appear before his image in the temple), as well as church candles. It is desirable to achieve privacy.
Put the image in front of you, light the candles. The miracle worker will better hear the addressed prayers when you begin to visualize his image.It is visualization that is the catalyst for the fulfillment of the prayer word.
Read the prayer slowly, meaningfully, be baptized slowly. Start with "Our Father", then ask for your desire, starting to read the prayer itself.
You need to be baptized correctly so as not to spoil the whole ceremony. Cross yourself like this: with the tips of the three fingers of the right hand, denoting our faith (big, middle and index), we touch the forehead, then the stomach, then the right and left shoulders, depicting a cross.
The main thing is faith. It is she who gives strength to your word.. For everything is rewarded according to our faith. As the saint believed, we must also believe.
The request comes from the heart. Sometimes it is enough to express thoughts in ordinary words if they are good. The miracle worker will help those who really need it.
Following these simple rules, enlist the help of St. Nicholas. Remember that the person himself is the blacksmith of his own happiness. Our desire must never go against the laws of the Church. Do not be angry if the plan was fulfilled later. One needs more time to be heard than another.
Be responsible for your wishes. It should bring goodness, joy and benefit. If you sincerely believe in St. Nicholas and do good deeds, He will definitely help you!
And on this day it is accepted help the poor and needy. It doesn't have to be an expensive gift.
good word and good deed- this is a small miracle!
All about religion and faith - "prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker on December 19 rite" with a detailed description and photographs.
SAINT NICHOLAS, ARCHBISHOP OF THE WORLD OF LYCIA, WONDER WORKER
THE MAIN THING is a prayer rite for the fulfillment of NOT MONEY. WISHES to Nicholas the Wonderworker.
I EXPLAIN: it is POSSIBLE to ask for your own apartment, cottage, fur coat, but MONEY IS NOT. Accordingly, build a logical chain of what you want.
1. We take the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and in front of it we equip a candlestick for 12 church candles.
You can take a wide cup (like "kese", or an Asian bowl), you can take a plastic food box or any other container, pour cereal (or sand) into it and stick candles there.
2. Candles stuck and lit.
"Oh, all-holy Nicholas, the servant of the Lord, our warm intercessor, and everywhere in sorrow a quick helper! Help me, a sinner and a dull one, in this present life, beg the Lord God to grant me the remission of all my sins, who have sinned from my youth, in everything my life, deed, word, thought and all my feelings; and at the end of my soul, help me, the accursed one, implore the Lord God, all creatures of the Creator, deliver me air ordeals and eternal torment, but always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and yours merciful intercession, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen."
3. 9 times we pronounce our desire WORD for WORD the same way all 9 times (because with your hand it is better to write it down on a piece of paper first and you can peep into a cheat sheet! Then fold the paper and put it behind the icon.
Leave the candles to burn out.
If you decide to go straight to the temple and do everything there, I warn you: there will be nowhere to stick 12 candles there, or go straight to the opening of the temple. Although at home everything is still calmer and more convenient to concentrate!
source Oksana Mergia
A series of “prayer” messages: divination on tarot cards, help in getting rid of negativity my website http://galaktika.in.ua/ +380978100803 Part 1 - I will pray to God for you, my friends!
DECEMBER 19 - ST. NICHOLAS. RITE FOR THE FULFILLMENT OF WISH
St. Nicholas Day December 19 is a symbol of faith in miracles. A day of surprises and pleasant surprises. Traditionally, on this day, parents put gifts under the pillows for their children. Many make gifts for adults.
Exists tradition, according to which, during a visit to Palestine, Nicholas decided to pray in the temple, went to the doors, which were locked. But the doors were flung open so He could enter the temple.
Nicholas the Wonderworker pray for their health and loved ones, for the fulfillment of their most secret desires.
The people believe that on the night of December 18-19, St. Nicholas walks the earth and helps all those in need and those who lack something in life.
Known many parables thanks to which Nicholas acquired the name of the Wonderworker.
Once St. Nicholas decided to help three sisters, whom no one wanted to marry because of poverty. On the night of Christmas Eve, he tossed them three bags of gold coins through the chimney. The sisters that evening hung their washed stockings to dry by the fireplace. Gift bags from St. Nicholas ended up in them.
After helping the three sisters, Nikolai continued to provide support for the poor townspeople, remaining unnoticed and surprising the whole city. He quietly brought toys and warm clothes for children, medicines for the sick into their homes.
In folk legends, Saint Nicholas protects people from natural disasters and on the water.
For example, one of the legends says that he once resurrected a sailor and has since become the patron saint of sailors. He is also known for saving the city of Mira from a terrible famine and often helping poor travelers.
According to belief If you make a wish on Saint Nicholas Day, it will surely come true. For Nicholas the Wonderworker to fulfill your desire, it must be sincere and come from the heart.
Buy 40 church candles and (if you don't have one) an icon of St. Nicholas. On December 19, place the candles in a circle in front of the icon and light them. And while all the candles are burning, sincerely ask St. Nicholas the Pleasant to help you fulfill your desire. You need to think about your cherished desire until all the candles are burning.
There are special prayers to St. Nicholas for intercession, for the fulfillment of a wish, for good luck, for marriage and marriage, with which you can turn to Nikolai Ugodnik.
To be fulfilled - ask correctly
However, it would be a mistake to think that after reading the prayers to the saint for the fulfillment of what was planned, immediately your cherished dream will come true. After all, this is a kind of sacrament, where there are rules.
First, calm down by thinking about your dreams. Are your thoughts pure? Why do you need what you want to ask for? Will the fulfillment of desires benefit you or harm others? If so, then it is better to rethink spiritual values. Imagine the possible consequences of bad thoughts.
In order for the prayer to the saint to be heard, you will need icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker(or you can appear before his image in the temple), as well as church candles. It is desirable to achieve privacy.
Put the image in front of you, light the candles. The miracle worker will better hear the addressed prayers when you begin to visualize his image. It is visualization that is the catalyst for the fulfillment of the prayer word.
Read the prayer slowly, meaningfully, be baptized slowly. Start with "Our Father", then ask for your desire, starting to read the prayer itself.
You need to be baptized correctly so as not to spoil the whole ceremony. Cross yourself like this: with the tips of the three fingers of the right hand, denoting our faith (big, middle and index), we touch the forehead, then the stomach, then the right and left shoulders, depicting a cross.
The main thing is faith. It is she who gives strength to your word.. For everything is rewarded according to our faith. As the saint believed, we must also believe.
The request comes from the heart. Sometimes it is enough to express thoughts in ordinary words if they are good. The miracle worker will help those who really need it.
Following these simple rules, enlist the help of St. Nicholas. Remember that the person himself is the blacksmith of his own happiness. Our desire must never go against the laws of the Church. Do not be angry if the plan was fulfilled later. One needs more time to be heard than another.
And on this day it is accepted help the poor and needy. It doesn't have to be an expensive gift.
good word and good deed- this is a small miracle!
Yule - December 21st. Birth of a new sun
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As a spectator of the ancient theater: Forecast for the week from November 13 to 19, 2017.
Sun from behind the clouds: Forecast for Friday and the weekend of 10, 11 and 12 November 2017
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How to change fate: a prayer on the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker December 19
Saint Nicholas is the most revered saint in the Russian Orthodox Church. On the day of his memory, you can change your fate by getting rid of illnesses, damage and envy of ill-wishers, if you know how to pray to Nicholas the Wonderworker correctly.
December 19, 2016 - the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. No saint is revered by the Orthodox more than he. Nicholas is considered the patron saint of travelers, serving prison sentences, captured or slavery, seriously ill and dying.
They pray to Saint Nicholas:
- about reconciliation in the family;
- giving wisdom in raising children;
- about salvation from diseases;
- about removing damage and getting rid of ill-wishers.
How to pray to St. Nicholas
Any prayer at a subtle level is a powerful energy message, the strength of which depends only on the energy of the asker. In order for your prayer to be heard, you must first bring yourself into the right mental and moral state. A good help in this will be meditation on the flame of a candle: it will help you relax and tune in to the process of communication with the saint.
In order to quickly enter the desired state, you can light incense and turn off the overhead light: the flame of a church candle, the smell of incense and twilight will have a beneficial effect on your consciousness. Focus on what you want to ask St. Nicholas on his day and sit in silence for a while.
Prayer to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for a change in his fate
This saint is often addressed in their own words, sincerely revealing their soul in prayer. However, texts that have already been repeated many thousands of times by church ministers and praying people still remain a more familiar option.
“Oh, Saint Nicholas, God's servant, seeker of truth, Intercessor before God! I sincerely pray to You, do not leave me without your true light, do not reject from me, unworthy, your hand that shelters from all evil. Hear my prayer and show the right path in the darkness of my life to the true light of faith and love! Give me the strength to believe and shine with Divine radiance, to see the right path and step on it on the day of Your remembrance. I trust in You, Miracle Worker Nicholas, and I entrust my fate into Your hands! Amen".
This prayer to St. Nicholas, read on December 19, is considered the most powerful tool for changing one's life and destiny. We wish you peace in your soul and the patronage of Nicholas the Wonderworker throughout your life. Be happy and don't forget to press the buttons and
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Rituals and divination on the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - December 19
Before Christmas, the entire Orthodox world annually celebrates on December 19 the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. This holiday is eagerly awaited by both children and adults. From time immemorial, the Slavs celebrated it on a large scale, they prayed on this day and asked St. Nicholas for help, protection from troubles, and the girls guessed at the betrothed. According to legend, it is the day of Nicholas that is a strong magical time in which rituals are held, ceremonies for the fulfillment of desires, for marriage and liberation from the shackles of loneliness.
Traditions of Saint Nicholas
Well, the children were waiting at home for gifts under the pillow or in exposed shoes. Their parents secretly put them there so that the kids would believe in a miracle created by the saint.
December 19 - the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the patron saint of marriages, who binds the betrothed. This is a strong magical day on which rites and rituals can be performed for marriage, for liberation from a lonely share, for cleansing from insults, for the fulfillment of desires. On December 19, 2015, according to Christian tradition, the Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, who is one of the most revered saints, is celebrated. The holiday of St. Nicholas Day was combined with the Russian holiday of honoring Veles - December 19 was the day of farewell to the old Sun, to the old life. Saint Nicholas Day in 2015 is celebrated as always on December 19th.
Saint Nicholas, who lived in the 3rd-4th centuries, is popularly called Nicholas the Wonderworker. According to popular belief, on December 19, Nicholas the Wonderworker in the form of a kind Santa Claus passes through the earth, dispersing all dark forces.
Usually, after a successful matchmaking, both clans prayed to St. Nicholas to help protect the future family from failures.
It was also believed that St. Nicholas escorts souls to another world.
December 19, the day of St. Nicholas was the last date of important transactions, payments and business contracts.
Ritual for the day of St. Nicholas for the fulfillment of desire
Prepare 40 candles, fill a wide plate with sand or salt, matches, the Icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Before the beginning of the ceremony, the prayer “Our Father” is read, then “Nicholas, the Pleasant of God, the helper of God, you are in the field, you are in the house, and on the way, and on the road, in heaven and on Earth: intercede and save from all evil . Amen cross yourself 3 times.
I am a servant of God, (name), a sinner in the seven deadly sins: pride, love of money, fornication, anger, gluttony, envy, despondency and much more.
Forgive me, weaken, leave God, Nicholas the Wonderworker, my sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word and in deed, in knowledge and not in knowledge, day and night, in mind and in thought, forgive me God the Merciful and Nicholas the Wonderworker. Have mercy on me, a sinner. God, Nicholas the Wonderworker, cleanse my sins and have mercy on me. Do not turn away from me, accept my repentance and repentance.
In your mercy, Lord and Nicholas the Wonderworker grant me, the servant of God (name), health. I ask for my children, parents, people close and dear to me - may they be healthy and happy. Do not leave me without your help and instruct me in everything. May your will be in all my affairs. May my life path be successful and happy. Protect me from evil people, from envy, from violence, from sudden death, from injustice. I would like (a) to bring as much benefit to people as possible, so let me have a decent and interesting job. Help me to be a support for my children, and give them the opportunity to support and mentor them. Let me know love and be loved. I ask the Lord, Nikolai the Wonderworker for his Motherland and for peace on Earth.
My special request: here you need to write your desire.
Next, light all 40 candles placed in a plate of salt, and read the prayers addressed to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Then you need to read your penitential letter. Then burn this letter in the flame of candles, wait until they burn out. Let the ashes from the letter go to the wind - in this way the information from it will go to the judgment of God and to the Holy One for consideration. Put the remains of the candles for a year for the Icon of St. Nicholas, and then you need to take it to the Temple and leave it there.
In the Russian Vedic tradition, on the day of Veles, on December 19, a straw effigy of a horse was burned to cleanse from filth. Such a ceremony had a symbol of sacrifice to Veles, Chernobog and farewell to the Old Sun, which was renewed on December 22.
Over time, the veneration of Veles was combined with the day of St. Nicholas the Winter. And therefore, the ancient rite is held on the day of the calendar holiday in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
For the ceremony, you need to make a small stuffed horse, tie it with red ribbons, take it outside and burn it, throwing your old things, papers, checks, etc. into the fire. - whatever you want to get rid of. Those who want to get rid of loneliness - throw a ribbon of hair into the fire as a symbol of a lonely female lot.
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December 19 Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker: prayers, conspiracies, signs
On December 19, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. We all know this holiday well. Since childhood, we know that on this day all obedient kids receive gifts that the saint leaves under his pillow or in his shoes. At the same time, not everyone is aware of who Nicholas the Wonderworker was, what deeds he performed, what kind of traditions are associated with his name in different countries and beliefs.
Saint Nicholas, who lived in the 3rd-4th centuries, became famous as a great saint of God, therefore, among the people he is usually called Nicholas the Pleasant.
The history of the life of Nikolai Ugodnik
The life of Nicholas the Wonderworker is not at all shrouded in legends. This saint was a real-life historical figure. He is believed to have been born in 270 CE. e. and lived until 345. The parents of Nicholas the Wonderworker were very pious and wealthy people: Feofan and Nona. He was the only child in the family. His parents prayed constantly, as for a long time they had no children at all.
When a baby appeared in their family, they promised God that the life of Nicholas would be devoted to worship, faith and religion. Everything did not happen as it was intended, because the boy was left an orphan. The life of Nicholas the Wonderworker at that time was marked by the fact that he began to live away from people, like a hermit. The man was fully engaged in scientific activities. Nicholas the Wonderworker was among the participating bishops in the first Ecumenical Christian Council in 325.
He did many holy deeds and miraculous things:
For example, while making a trip (pilgrimage) to Jerusalem, Nicholas calmed the raging sea with a prayer. After the prayer, the sailor came to life, who crashed, falling from the mast.
There are also legends that Nicholas did not allow the executioner to carry out the death sentence for three falsely accused by the local mayor.
prevented a severe famine of the inhabitants of his native city called Mira;
he more than once saved people on water and land from misfortune and hunger.
Nicholas died on December 6, 334, having lived to a ripe old age. After his death, he was recognized as a saint. According to church tradition, the relics of St. Nicholas were preserved, which exuded myrrh, healing the parishioners. In 1087, the relics of Nicholas the Pleasant were transferred to Italy, to the city of Bar (Bari), where they are still located.
More recently, in 2009, on the basis of X-rays and cranioscopy, scientists were able to describe the facial features of the saint. It was determined that he was a short man (about 1 meter 68 centimeters) with a high forehead, protruding cheekbones and chin, he had brown eyes and dark skin.
The Church canonized Nicholas, and in our time in many homes they pray to this saint in grief and joy, and every year the kids receive gifts on St. Nicholas Day. But the main thing is that they learn kindness and love for people, so that later they can pass on this unshakable tradition to their children. And while tradition and history are alive, the people are alive and the family is alive.
The history of the holiday
Perhaps the holiday occurred after this incident:
“One poor man could not provide his daughters with a dowry. According to the customs of that time, due to the lack of a dowry, they could not get married. Therefore, the father decided to send them to work. Nikolai found out about this and decided to use his father's inheritance in order to make the whole family happy. For three nights, he secretly came to the poor man's house and every night he threw into the room (through the window) where the sisters spent the night, a piece of gold - for a dowry for each daughter. Nicholas decided to keep his beneficence a secret.
There is also this legend:
The day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is celebrated not only in December, but also in May - this is the day when his relics were transported to the Italian city of Bari. These two months (May and December) were chosen for a reason, because both of them are important for grain growers. As our ancestors said: "One Nicholas pleases with grass, the other with frost."
“Once a simple man was driving along a country road, and his cart got stuck in the mud. The cart was very heavy: the peasant could not pull it out alone. Just at that time the saints were going to God. One of them, Kasyan, was passing by a peasant with a cart. Then the peasant begged for help. Kasyan was offended that he was disturbed because of such a trifle. In clean beautiful clothes, he walked past the peasant. Then near the cart appeared St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The man also asked him for help. The saint without hesitation helped the peasant. Together they pulled the wagon out of the mud. That's just Nikolai all smeared. All the saints gathered with God. He began to ask them: why was Nikolai so late, because of which all his clothes were smeared in mud? Then Nicholas the Wonderworker told what story happened to him along the way. God then asked Kasyan why he did not help the peasant and walked past him? He replied that he could not be late for a meeting with God and come in dirty clothes. The Almighty then said that people would celebrate the feast of St. Kasyan only once every 4 years - on February 29. At the same time, St. Nicholas Day will be celebrated 2 times a year - in May and December. After all, he helps ordinary people without hesitation, let them honor and glorify him.
In the folk calendar, December 19 is the Day of St. Nicholas the Winter. Peasants treated this day with special trepidation: matchmaking began, and with it severe frosts. That is why The day of December 19 was called Nikolsky frosts.
Saint Nicholas himself was greatly revered by the people as a protector from all misfortunes and an assistant in good deeds.
The people considered the saint the main assistant for those convicted for imperfect deeds.
Nicholas is also the patron of merchants, children and sailors.
Farmers often prayed to him to get a good harvest.
Interestingly, it was the day of Nicholas that was often considered the deadline for any transaction.
On this holiday, Christian and folk signs and customs are closely intertwined.
What not to do on St. Nicholas Day
December 19 falls on Advent. On this day, you can eat fish, but you can not eat meat, eggs and other animal products.
On St. Nicholas Day you can not lend. Our ancestors believed that a borrower, along with money, could bring good luck and luck out of the house.
In addition, according to folk customs, on this day you can not do repairs, sew, wash.
What to do on St. Nicholas Day
On this day, believers must go to church and pray. December 19 is best to start with a morning service.
Following the example of Nicholas the Wonderworker, on this day it is necessary to help loved ones, distribute alms, but do not advertise it.
According to folk tradition, on St. Nicholas Day, gifts are placed under the pillow, most often sweets: sweets, chocolate, gingerbread. Gifts must be put at night so that in the morning a person wakes up and finds a present from Nikolai under the pillow.
Our ancestors always had fun on Nicholas Day, arranged festivities, set a magnificent table, invited guests. This is a fun holiday, so December 19 should be spent in joy and fun.
Folk omens for December 19:
- what is the weather on Nikola Winter, this will be the day of Nikola Veshny (May 22);
- If frost fell before Nikola's day, there will be a good harvest
- If winter leaves a trace before Nikolin's day, the road will not stand.
- Sadness on the day of Nicholas brings severe frosts.
- Praise the winter after Nikolin's day. How much Nikola Winter will give snow, how much Nikola Spring will give herbs.
- If a person was born on December 19, then he should wear lapis lazuli or rhodonite as a talisman.
What needs do they pray to St. Nicholas?
- Girls and married women pray to St. Nicholas about getting married safely and living with her husband in love and harmony.
- Drivers, sailors and travelers are praying to avoid dangers on the road.
- There are many cases where St. Nicholas saved drowning people.
- Often the saint is resorted to as a speedy defender of the unjustly offended and slandered.
Prayer to Saint Nicholas
“O all-good Father Nicholas, shepherd and teacher of all who by faith flow to your intercession and call you with warm prayer! Quickly rush and deliver the flock of Christ from the wolves that destroy it; and protect every Christian country and save with your holy prayers from worldly rebellion, cowardice, invasion of foreigners and internecine strife, from famine, flood, fire, sword and vain death. And as if you had mercy on three men sitting in prison, and delivered them the king’s wrath and the cutting of the sword, so have mercy on me, mind, word and deed in the darkness of sins, and deliver me the wrath of God and eternal punishment, as if by your intercession and With help, by His own mercy and grace, Christ God will give us a quiet and sinless life to live in this world and save me from standing, and vouchsafe the right hand with all the saints. Amen."
Conspiracies on the day of St. Nicholas
Spell for joint pain
“Lomotitsa, tweezer, bone relative, all joints and half-joints, bootlegs, do not creak, do not hurt the servant of God. (name), so that she does not suffer anymore, let her sleep. Amen."
Having pronounced the conspiracy, light the church candle and read the prayer to St. Nicholas three times.
Conspiracy from fear
On Sunday at noon, read a prayer to St. Nicholas, light a church candle and, approaching the icon, say:
“There is no fear either in a dark night, or in the light of day, or in a deserted desert, or in fire, or in water, or in military affairs, or in a fist fight, or in the face of the deceased, or in an earthly court. There is no fear in the heart of a servant of God/servant of God. (name). In the name of Jesus Christ himself, the Son of God, who did not fear death on the cross. Amen."
Conspiracy to cleanse the body
If you feel tired all over your body, suffer from insomnia, suffer from a premonition of trouble, and also after communicating with unpleasant people, you need to take a contrast shower of seven ablutions after praying to Nicholas. For women, the procedure begins with hot water, for men - with cold. After you wash yourself for the seventh time, looking at the running water, say: “You are water, holy water! You wash everything and cleanse everything! Wash me off, servant of God/slave. (name) mowing, prizes, troubles, hardships. Amen". And read "Our Father" three times.
A conspiracy so that the child does not fall into bad company
This plot is also read after a prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker, at the head of the bed of a sleeping child.
“Go, child, to your house and do not bow to anyone other than your father, except your mother. Bow to the icon (Nikolai Ugodnik) (3 times) and submit to your parents. Amen."
“Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee from His presence. Like smoke disappears, let them disappear, like wax melts from the face of fire, so let the demons perish from the face of those who love God and sign the sign of the cross, and say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, drive away demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified on you who descended into hell and corrected the power of the devil, and gave us His Honorable Cross to drive away every adversary. O Most Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Lady Virgin Mother of God and with all the saints forever. Amen."
Saved words on the way
“The road is a princess, the Way is my king. Faith in Christ was of old, Faith is still there. With me is my shield, Jesus Christ himself, the Savior's hand from every enemy. Whoever stretches out his hand to me will become a dead man himself. The key is in the mouth, the castle is in the river, the amulet is on me. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Fortune-telling and rituals for the Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
On this day, young people loved to perform rituals and guess.
Divination for the betrothed
Unmarried girls went out into the courtyard in the evening, took off their shoes from their left feet and threw them out of the gate with all their might. The farther the shoe flies off, the farther the girl will go after the wedding. In which direction does the nose of the shoe point - from there the groom will come to woo. And if the nose of the shoe pointed to the house where the girl lives herself, then this year she will not get married.
Ritual for wealth on the Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
In order for money to come into the house, empty wallets were placed in a prominent place. Allegedly, the saint will see that the person is poor and will help them. Some hung up signs with the words “there is nothing” to convey their need to Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Ritual for the fulfillment of a wish on Nikola
To conduct it, a prerequisite is the presence in the house of the icon of St. Nicholas the Pleasant. You will also need 40 church candles. On St. Nicholas Day, you need to put his image on the table, and place candles near the icon. Then one should light the candles in turn, and while they are burning, turn to the Miracle Worker with your request.
Ritual for the fulfillment of a wish
Today you can perform a ceremony to fulfill a wish. Buy twelve church candles and place them in front of the icon of St. Nicholas. Light the candles and while they are burning (about an hour), ask the Pleasant of God to fulfill your most cherished desire (however, not related to finances).
We wish you all the best and no troubles! Be happy and healthy!
On December 19, Orthodox Christians celebrate St. Nicholas Day, they also say Nicholas the Wonderworker or Nicholas the Pleasant.
Saint Nicholas is a historical figure who lived from 270 - 345 AD. , lived 75 years and dedicated his entire adult life to serving God. He was the only son of his parents, who begged God for a child, promising to dedicate him to the service of the Lord.
Saint Nicholas participated in the first Ecumenical Christian Council in 325 AD, where he spoke out against the teachings of the heretic Arius, even slapped him in the face, for which he was defrocked and arrested. However, he was released and restored to his rank, because the priests who participated in this had a dream that this was pleasing to God.
Nicholas the Wonderworker, did many miracles: he saved the needy people on sea and land, saved the city of Mira from starvation, returned the voice to the dumb, sight to the blind, freed the innocently convicted from captivity and execution.
The history of the holiday Saint Nicholas Day
According to ancient legend, the feast of St. Nicholas appeared in this way:
“A man was driving in a cart with a load and got stuck in a swamp, no matter how hard he tried, but he himself could not leave. A passer-by in smart clothes passed by him, a man asked him to help, but he refused, referring to the fact that he was in a hurry to heaven to God. This passer-by turned out to be St. Kasyan.
The next passerby was Nikolai Ugodnik, who also hurried to God, but he helped the peasant get out of the mud, although he soiled his clothes.
When St. Nicholas appeared to God, God asked why he was late and dirty, Nicholas the Pleasant explained the reason. God understood that earlier Kasyan also passed by the one in need of help, but did not help. God made a decision and appointed St. Kasian to celebrate his day once every four years - February 29, and St. Nicholas - two days, in the summer of May 22 - the day of the arrival of the relics in Barri (Italy) and in the winter - December 19 - the day of the death of St. Nicholas.
Hence the moral: do not be people indifferent to someone else's misfortune and God will reward you!
Traditions of celebrating St. Nicholas Day
According to a centuries-old tradition, Orthodox Christians celebrate St. Nicholas Day with a divine service in the church, and then with fun parties and gatherings. Be sure to give gifts on this day: relatives, friends and those in need. Gifts can be different: clothes, toys, games and, of course, sweets.
On the eve of the holiday, the housewives bake sweets in the form of cookies in the shape of stars, goats, houses, decorating them with icing. For the holiday, you can bake these cookies:
1. - with icing for St. Nicholas Day, 7 recipes
2. 10 Quick and Delicious Cookie Recipes
3. : 4 cooking recipes
Cooked sweets are placed for obedient children along with gifts, under the pillow, in shoes or socks, for the disobedient - a twig under the pillow, as a punishment for their behavior.
A treat for adults was beer and lenten pies (with mushrooms, cabbage), just like fasting. Treats were prepared in a clubbing, thus all disputes were smoothed out, communities were united.
On St. Nicholas Day, unmarried girls tried to put on the best elegant dresses to show themselves to potential suitors, and in the evening they gathered at someone's place and guessed at the betrothed.
When they went to bed, they said: “Narrowed - mummers, come to me to drink some water” and if a well done dream, that will be her fate.
In Catholic countries, Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6, according to the Gregorian calendar. Saint Nicholas, his prototype Santa Claus, also gives gifts to children and naughty ones - rods, which he puts in socks hanging near a fireplace or stove.
Signs of St. Nicholas Day
- If before the feast of St. Nicholas, snow fell, then the winter will be cold and harsh.
- Washing with snow on St. Nicholas Day will bring health and well-being.
- If frost appears in front of Nikolai, the next year will be rich in harvest.
- On St. Nicholas Day, the owner of the house should be the first to go around his yard in order to avoid trouble in the new year.
- It has long been believed that the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is the last day of the year when all debts must be repaid, and if you do not repay, then the family will be in poverty next year.
- On this day and on the days of great church holidays, you can’t work with your hands - work offends the saints.
Prayer to Nicholas the Wonderworker
Happy holidays to you!
On December 19, the Church celebrates the Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Saint Nicholas is considered the patron saint of travelers and seafarers. And he is one of the most revered saints in the Orthodox world.
On December 19, the Church celebrates the memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. He was born in the city of Patara in the Lycian region (on the southern coast of Asia Minor), was the only son of pious parents Theophan and Nonna, who vowed to dedicate him to God. The fruit of long prayers to the Lord by childless parents, the infant Nicholas from the day of his birth revealed to people the light of his future glory as a great miracle worker. His mother, Nonna, was immediately healed of her illness after giving birth. The newborn baby, still in the baptismal font, stood on his feet for three hours, supported by no one, thereby giving honor to the Most Holy Trinity.
Saint Nicholas Day
Saint Nicholas in infancy began a fasting life, taking mother's milk on Wednesdays and Fridays, only once, after the evening prayers of his parents. From childhood, Nicholas excelled in the study of the Divine Scriptures; during the day he did not leave the temple, but at night he prayed and read books, building in himself a worthy dwelling of the Holy Spirit.
His uncle, Bishop Nicholas of Patara, rejoicing in his nephew's spiritual success and high piety, made him a reader, and then elevated Nicholas to the priesthood, making him his assistant and instructing him to preach to the flock.
Serving the Lord, the young man burned with spirit, and with experience in matters of faith he was like an old man, which aroused the astonishment and deep respect of believers. Constantly laboring and vigilant, being in unceasing prayer, Presbyter Nicholas showed great mercy to his flock, coming to the aid of the afflicted, and distributing all his possessions to the poor.
Having learned about the bitter need and poverty of one previously rich resident of his city, Saint Nicholas saved him from a great sin. Having three adult daughters, the desperate father planned to give them to fornication to save them from hunger. The saint, grieving for the perishing sinner, at night secretly threw three sacks of gold out of the window, and thereby saved the family from falling and spiritual death. When giving alms, St. Nicholas always tried to do it secretly and hide his good deeds.
Going to worship the holy places in Jerusalem, the Bishop of Patara handed over the management of the flock to Saint Nicholas, who fulfilled his obedience with diligence and love. When the bishop returned, he, in turn, asked for a blessing to travel to the Holy Land. On the way, the saint predicted an impending storm, threatening the ship with sinking, for he saw the devil himself entering the ship. At the request of desperate travelers, he touched the waves of the sea with his prayer. Through his prayer, one sailor-shipman, who fell from the mast and crashed to death, was made healthy.
Having reached the ancient city of Jerusalem, Saint Nicholas ascended Golgotha, gave thanks to the Savior of the human race and went around all the holy places, worshiping and praying. At night, on Mount Zion, the locked doors of the church opened of their own accord in front of the great pilgrim who had come. Having bypassed the shrines associated with the earthly ministry of the Son of God, Saint Nicholas decided to retire to the desert, but was stopped by a Divine voice, admonishing him to return to his homeland.
Returning to Lycia, the saint, striving for a silent life, joined the brotherhood of the monastery called Holy Zion. However, the Lord again announced a different path awaiting him: “Nicholas, this is not the field on which you should bear the fruit I expect; but turn and go into the world, and may My Name be glorified in you.” In a vision, the Lord gave him the Gospel in an expensive salary, and the Most Holy Mother of God - an omophorion.
Indeed, after the death of Archbishop John, he was elected Bishop of the World of Lycia after one of the bishops of the Council, which decided the issue of electing a new archbishop, was indicated in a vision by God's chosen one - St. Nicholas. Called to shepherd the Church of God in the rank of bishop, Saint Nicholas remained the same great ascetic, showing his flock an image of meekness, gentleness and love for people.
This was especially dear to the Lycian Church during the persecution of Christians under the emperor Diocletian (284–305). Bishop Nicholas, imprisoned along with other Christians, supported them and exhorted them to firmly endure the bonds, torture and torment. The Lord preserved him unharmed.
Upon the accession of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine, Saint Nicholas was returned to his flock, who gladly met their mentor and intercessor. Despite the great meekness of spirit and purity of heart, St. Nicholas was a zealous and daring warrior of the Church of Christ. Fighting with the spirits of malice, the saint went around pagan temples and temples in the city of Mira and its environs, crushing idols and turning temples to dust.
In the year 325, Saint Nicholas was a participant in the First Ecumenical Council, which adopted the Nicene Creed, and fought with Saints Sylvester, the Pope of Rome, Alexander of Alexandria, Spyridon of Trimifunts and others from 318 holy fathers of the Council against the heretic Arius. In the heat of denunciation, St. Nicholas, burning with zeal for the Lord, even killed the false teacher, for which he was deprived of his hierarchal omophorion and put under guard.
However, it was revealed to several holy fathers in a vision that the Lord Himself and the Mother of God consecrated the saint as a bishop, giving him the Gospel and the omophorion. The Fathers of the Council, realizing that the boldness of a saint is pleasing to God, glorified the Lord, and restored His holy saint to the rank of saint.
Returning to his diocese, the saint brought peace and blessing to it, sowing the word of Truth, nipping unthinking and vain sophistication at the very root, denouncing inveterate heretics and healing the fallen and those who deviated out of ignorance. He was truly the light of the world and the salt of the earth, for his life was light and his word was dissolved in the salt of wisdom.
Even during his lifetime, the saint performed many miracles. Of these, deliverance from the death of three men who had been unjustly condemned by the mercenary city governor brought the greatest glory to the saint. The saint boldly approached the executioner and held his sword, already raised above the heads of the condemned. The mayor, convicted by St. Nicholas of untruth, repented and asked him for forgiveness.
At the same time, three military leaders sent by Emperor Constantine to Phrygia were present. They did not yet suspect that they would soon also have to seek the intercession of St. Nicholas, since they were undeservedly slandered before the emperor and doomed to death. Appearing in a dream to Saint Constantine Equal-to-the-Apostles, Saint Nicholas urged him to release the unjustly sentenced to death military leaders who, while in prison, prayerfully called for the help of the saint.
He performed many other miracles as he labored in his ministry for many years. Through the prayers of the saint, the city of Mira was saved from a severe famine. Appearing in a dream to an Italian merchant and leaving him as a pledge three gold coins, which he found in his hand, waking up the next morning, asked him to sail to the Worlds and sell life there. More than once the saint saved those drowning in the sea, led them out of captivity and imprisonment in dungeons.
Having reached a ripe old age, Saint Nicholas peacefully passed away to the Lord († 345–351). His honest relics were kept incorruptible in the local cathedral church and exuded a healing myrrh, from which many received healings. In 1087, his relics were transferred to the Italian city of Bar, where they rest to this day..
The name of the great saint of God, the saint and wonderworker Nicholas, a quick helper and prayer book for all who flow to him, became famous in all parts of the earth, in many countries and peoples. In Russia, many cathedrals, monasteries and churches are dedicated to his holy name. There is, perhaps, not a single city without St. Nicholas Church. In the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Holy Patriarch Photius was baptized in 866 by the Kiev prince Askold, the first Russian Christian prince († 882). Above the grave of Askold, the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga (Comm. 11 July) erected the first church of St. Nicholas in Kiev in the Russian Church.
The main cathedrals were dedicated to St. Nicholas in Izborsk, Ostrov, Mozhaisk, Zaraysk. In Veliky Novgorod, one of the main temples of the city is the Nikolo-Dvorishchenskaya Church (XII), which later became a cathedral. There are glorified and revered St. Nicholas churches and monasteries in Kiev, Smolensk, Pskov, Toropets, Galich, Arkhangelsk, Veliky Ustyug, Tobolsk. Moscow was famous for several dozen churches dedicated to the saint, three Nikolsky monasteries were located in the Moscow diocese: Nikolo-Greek (Old) - in Kitay-gorod, Nikolo-Perervinsky and Nikolo-Ugreshsky.
One of the main towers of the Moscow Kremlin is called Nikolskaya. Most often, churches were erected to the saint on market squares by Russian merchants, sailors and explorers, who revered the wonderworker Nicholas as the patron of all wanderers on land and at sea. Sometimes they received the name "Nikola Wet" among the people. Many rural churches in Russia are dedicated to the miracle worker Nicholas, a merciful intercessor before the Lord about all people in their labors, sacredly revered by the peasants. And St. Nicholas does not leave the Russian land with his intercession. Ancient Kiev keeps the memory of the miracle of salvation by the saint of a drowned baby. The great wonderworker, having heard the mournful prayers of the parents who had lost their only heir, took the baby out of the water at night, revived him and placed him on the choir stalls of the church of St. Sophia in front of his miraculous image. Here, in the morning, the saved baby was found by happy parents, who glorified St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with the multitude of people.
Many miraculous icons of St. Nicholas appeared in Russia and came from other countries. This is an ancient Byzantine half-length image of the saint (XII), brought to Moscow from Novgorod, and a huge icon painted in the 13th century by a Novgorod master.
Two images of the miracle worker are especially common in the Russian Church: St. Nicholas of Zaraisk - full-length, with a blessing right hand and the Gospel (this image was brought to Ryazan in 1225 by the Byzantine princess Eupraxia, who became the wife of the Ryazan prince Theodore and died in 1237 with her husband and baby - son during the invasion of Batu), and St. Nicholas of Mozhaisk - also full-length, with a sword in his right hand and a city in his left - in memory of the miraculous salvation, through the prayers of the saint, the city of Mozhaisk from enemy attacks. It is impossible to list all the blessed icons of St. Nicholas. Every Russian city and every church has been blessed with such an icon through the prayers of the saint.published.
P.S. And remember, just by changing your consciousness - together we change the world! © econet
When is the memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker celebrated?
What helps Nicholas the Wonderworker
Saint Nicholas is called a miracle worker. Such saints are especially revered for the miracles that occur through prayers to them. Since ancient times, Nicholas the Wonderworker was revered as an ambulance to sailors and other travelers, merchants, unjustly convicted and children. In Western folk Christianity, his image was combined with the image of a folklore character - "Christmas grandfather" - and transformed into Santa Claus ( santa claus translated from English. - St Nicholas). Santa Claus gives gifts to children for Christmas.
Life (biography) of Nicholas the Wonderworker
Nicholas the Pleasant was born in 270 in the town of Patara, which was located in the region of Lycia in Asia Minor and was a Greek colony. The parents of the future archbishop were very wealthy people, but at the same time they believed in Christ and actively helped the poor.
As the life says, from childhood the saint devoted himself completely to faith, spent a lot of time in the temple. Having matured, he became a reader, and then a priest in the church, where his uncle, Bishop Nicholas of Patara, served as rector.
After the death of his parents, Nicholas the Wonderworker distributed all his inheritance to the poor and continued his church ministry. In the years when the attitude of the Roman emperors towards Christians became more tolerant, but persecution nevertheless continued, he ascended to the episcopal throne in Mir. Now this town is called Demre, it is located in the province of Antalya in Turkey.
People loved the new archbishop very much: he was kind, meek, fair, sympathetic - not a single request to him remained unanswered. With all this, Nicholas was remembered by his contemporaries as an implacable fighter against paganism - he destroyed idols and temples, and a defender of Christianity - he denounced heretics.
Even during his lifetime, the saint became famous for many miracles. He saved the city of Mira from a terrible famine - with his fervent prayer to Christ. He prayed and thereby helped the drowning sailors on ships, led the unjustly condemned from imprisonment in prisons.
Nicholas the Pleasant lived to a ripe old age and died around 345-351 - the exact date is unknown.
Relics of Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker reposed in the Lord in 345-351 - the exact date is unknown. His relics were incorruptible. At first they rested in the cathedral church of the city of Lycian Myra, where he served as archbishop. They streamed myrrh, and the myrrh healed believers from various ailments.
Veneration of St. Nicholas in Russia
Many temples and monasteries are dedicated to Nikolai Ugodnik in Russia. In his name, the holy Patriarch Photius baptized in 866 the Kiev prince Askold, the very first Russian Christian prince. Above the grave of Askold in Kiev, Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga built the first church of St. Nicholas on Russian soil.
In many Russian cities, the main cathedrals were named after the archbishop of Mir Lycian. Veliky Novgorod, Zaraysk, Kiev, Smolensk, Pskov, Galich, Arkhangelsk, Tobolsk and many others. In the Moscow province, three Nikolsky monasteries were built - Nikolo-Greek (Old) - in Kitay-gorod, Nikolo-Perervinsky and Nikolo-Ugreshsky. In addition, one of the main towers of the Moscow Kremlin was named Nikolskaya.
Iconography of Saint Nicholas
The iconography of St. Nicholas took shape in the 10th-11th centuries. At the same time, the oldest icon, namely the fresco in the church of Santa Maria Antiqua in Rome, dates back to the 8th century.
There are two main iconographic types of St. Nicholas - full-length and half-length. One of the classic examples of a full-length icon is a fresco from the St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kiev, painted at the beginning of the 12th century. Now it is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery. In this fresco, the saint is depicted full-length, with a blessing right hand and an open Gospel in his left hand.
Icons of the belt iconographic type depict the saint with a closed Gospel on his left hand. The oldest icon of this type in the monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai dates back to the 11th century. In Russia, the earliest surviving similar image dates back to the end of the 12th century. Ivan the Terrible brought it from Novgorod the Great and placed it in the Smolensk Cathedral of the Novodevichy Convent. Now this icon can be seen in the Tretyakov Gallery.
Icon painters also created hagiographic icons of St. Nicholas, that is, depicting different scenes from the life of the saint - sometimes up to twenty different plots. The most ancient of these icons in Russia are the Novgorod one from the Lyubon churchyard (XIV century) and the Kolomna one (now kept in the Tretyakov Gallery).
TroparionSaint Nicholas the Wonderworker
voice 4
The rule of faith and the image of meekness, the abstinence of the teacher reveal the truth to your flock of things: for this sake you acquired high humility, rich in poverty. Father Hierarch Nicholas, pray to Christ God that our souls be saved.
Translation:
By the rule of faith, by the example of meekness, temperance, the teacher has shown you your life to your flock. And therefore, with humility, you acquired greatness, poverty - wealth: Father Hierarch Nicholas, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.
Kontakion to Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker
voice 3
In Mirech, holy, the clergyman appeared to you: Christ, reverend, having fulfilled the Gospel, lay down your soul about your people, and saved the innocent from death; for this sake you were sanctified, like a great secret place of God's grace.
Translation:
In the Worlds, you, saint, appeared as a performer of sacred rites: having fulfilled the gospel teaching of Christ, you, reverend, laid down your soul for your people and the innocent delivered from death. Therefore, he was sanctified as a great minister of the mysteries of God's grace.
First prayer to Nikolai Ugodnik
Oh, all-holy Nicholas, the most beautiful servant of the Lord, our warm intercessor, and everywhere in sorrow a quick helper!
Help me a sinner and despondent in this present life, beg the Lord God to grant me the remission of all my sins, having sinned from my youth, in all my life, deed, word, thought and all my feelings; and at the end of my soul, help me the accursed, implore the Lord God, all creatures of the Sodetel, to deliver me from air ordeals and eternal torment: may I always glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your merciful intercession, now and ever and forever and ever.
What can you eat on the day of memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
December 19, according to the new style, falls on the Christmas, or Filippov, as it is also called, post. On this day, you can eat fish, but you can not eat meat, eggs and other animal products.
Miracles of Saint Nicholas
Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the patron, intercessor and prayer book for sailors and, in general, for everyone who travels. For example, as the life of the saint says, in his youth, traveling from Myra to Alexandria, he resurrected a sailor who, during a fierce storm, fell off the mast of the ship and, falling on the deck, crashed to death.
Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. Word, uttered at the vigil on the feast of St. Nicholas, December 18, 1973, in the church named after him in Kuznetsy (Moscow)
Today we celebrate the day of the death of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. What a strange combination of words: death feast... Usually, when someone is overtaken by death, we yearn and weep for it; and when the saint dies, we rejoice about it. How is this possible?
This is possible only because when a sinner dies, those who remain have a heavy feeling in their hearts that the time has come for parting, even if only temporarily. No matter how strong our faith is, no matter how hope inspires us, no matter how sure we are that the God of love will never finally separate from each other those who love each other with even imperfect, earthly love - still remains sadness and longing that for many years we will not see the face, the expression of the eyes shining on us with caress, we will not touch the dear person with a reverent hand, we will not hear his voice, bringing his caress and love to our hearts ...
But our attitude to the saint is not exactly like that. Even those who were contemporary with the saints, already during their lifetime, managed to realize that, living in the fullness of heavenly life, the saint did not separate from the earth during his life, and that when he rests in his body, he will still remain in this mystery of the Church, which unites the living and the dead. into one body, into one spirit, into one eternal, Divine mystery that conquered all lives.
As they died, the saints could say, as Paul said: I fought a good feat, I kept the faith; now an eternal reward is being prepared for me, now I myself become a sacrifice...
And this consciousness is not the head, but the consciousness of the heart, a living feeling of the heart that the saint cannot leave us (just as the Risen Christ, who has become invisible to us, does not leave us, just as God, invisible to us, is not absent), this consciousness allows us to rejoice on the day when, as the ancient Christians said, a person born into eternal life. He did not die - but was born, entered into eternity, into the whole expanse, into the fullness of life. He is in anticipation of a new victory of life, which we all look forward to: the resurrection of the dead on the last day, when all the barriers of separation will fall, and when we will rejoice not only about the victory of eternity, but that God has restored the temporal to life - but in glory, new shining glory.
One of the ancient fathers of the Church, Saint Irenaeus of Lyon, says: the glory of God is a man who has become Man... Saints are such a glory to God; looking at them, we are amazed at what God can do to a person.
And behold, we rejoice on the day of the death of the one who was on earth heavenly man, but having entered into eternity, he became an intercessor and a prayer book for us, not leaving us, remaining not only the same close, becoming even closer, because we become close to each other as we become close, dear, our own to the Living God, God of love. Our joy today is so deep! The Lord on earth shook, like a ripe ear, St. Nicholas. Now he triumphs with God, in heaven; and just as he loved the earth and people, knew how to pity, compassion, knew how to surround everyone and meet everyone with amazing, tender, thoughtful care, so now he prays for us all, caringly, thoughtfully.
When you read his life, you are amazed that he cared not only about the spiritual; he cared for every human need, the humblest human need. He knew how to rejoice with those who rejoice, he knew how to cry with those who weep, he knew how to console and support those who needed comfort and support. And this is why the people, the Myrlikian flock, fell in love with him so much, and why the entire Christian people honors him so much: there is nothing too insignificant that he would not pay attention to with his creative love. There is nothing on earth that would seem unworthy of his prayers and unworthy of his labors: illness, and the poor, and deprivation, and disgrace, and fear, and sin, and joy, and hope, and love - everything found a lively response in his deep human heart. And he left us the image of a man who is the radiance of God's beauty, he left us in himself, as it were, a living, acting icon genuine person.
But he left it to us not only so that we rejoice, admire, be amazed; he left us his image so that we could learn from him how to live, what kind of love to love, how to forget ourselves and remember fearlessly, sacrificially, joyfully every need of another person.
He left us an image of how to die, how to mature, how to stand before God at the last hour, giving His soul joyfully, as if returning to his father's house. When I was a young man, my father once told me: during your life, learn to expect death in the same way as a young man anxiously awaits the arrival of his bride... This is how Saint Nicholas waited for the hour of death, when the gates of death will open, when his soul will fly to freedom when it will be given to him to behold the God whom he worshiped with faith and love. So it is given to us to wait - to wait creatively, not to wait numbly, in fear of death, but to wait with joy for that time, that meeting with God, which will make us akin not only to our Living God, with Christ who became a man, but also with every person. because only in God are we made one...
The Fathers of the Church call us to live fear of death. From century to century we hear these words, and from century to century we misunderstand them. How many people live in fear that death is about to come, and after death - judgment, and after judgment - what? Unknown. Hell? Forgiveness?.. But not about that fear of death fathers said. The Fathers said that if we remembered that in a moment we might die, how we would hasten to do all the good that we can still do! If we thought constantly, tremblingly that the person standing next to us, to whom we can now do good or evil, might die - how we would hasten to take care of him! There would then be no need, either great or small, that would exceed our ability to devote life to a person who is about to die.
I have already said something about my father; sorry - I'll tell you one more personal. My mother has been dying for three years; she knew it because I told her. And when death entered our life, it transformed life by the fact that every moment, every word, every action - because it could be the last - had to be a perfect expression of all the love, all the affection, all the reverence that was between us. And for three years there was no trifle and no big things, but only the triumph of tremulous, reverent love, where everything merged into greatness, because in one word you can enclose all love, and in one movement you can express all love; and it should be like this.
The Saints understood this not only in relation to one person, whom they loved especially tenderly and for some small years, for which they had the spirit. The saints knew how to live like this throughout their whole lives, from day to day, from hour to hour, in relation to each person, because in each they saw the image of God, a living icon, but - God! - sometimes such a defiled, such a disfigured icon, which they contemplated with special pain and with special love, as we would contemplate an icon trampled into the mud before our eyes. And each of us, with our sin, tramples into the mud the image of God in ourselves.
Think about it. Think how glorious, how marvelous death can be if we only live life like saints. They are people like us, differing from us only in courage and burning spirit. If only we could live like them! And how rich the memory of death could be for us if, instead of being called, in our language, the fear of death, it would be a constant reminder that every moment is and can become a door to eternal life. Each moment, filled with all love, all humility, all the rapture and strength of the soul, can open time to eternity and make our earth already a place where paradise is manifested, a place where God lives, a place where we are united in love, a place where everything the evil, the dead, the dark, the dirty, are defeated, transfigured, become light, become purity, become Divine.
May the Lord grant us to ponder these images of the saints, and not to each other, not even to ask ourselves what to do, but to turn directly to them, to these saints, of whom some were at first robbers, sinners, people terrible for others, but who managed by the greatness of the soul to perceive God and grow into measure of the age of Christ. Let's ask them... What happened to you, Father Nicholas? What did you do, how did you reveal yourself to the power of Divine love and grace?.. And he will answer us; with his life and his prayer, he will make possible for us what seems impossible to us, because the power of God is made perfect in weakness, and everything is available to us, everything is possible for us in the Lord Jesus Christ who strengthens us.
Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. About the calling of a Christian.
Word pronounced at the liturgy on the day of memory of St. Nicholas on December 19, 1973, in the church named after him in Kuznetsy (Moscow)
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I congratulate you on the occasion!
When we celebrate the day of such a saint as Nicholas the Wonderworker, whom not only the Russian heart, but universal Orthodoxy perceived as one of the most perfect images of the priesthood, it is especially reverent to serve the Divine Liturgy and stand before it; because before he became a companion of the apostles, Saint Nicholas was a genuine, true layman. The Lord Himself revealed that it was he who should have been made a priest - for the purity of his life, for the feat of his love, for his love for worship and the temple, for the purity of his faith, for his meekness and humility.
All this was in him not a word, but it was flesh. In the troparion we sing to him that he was rule of faith, image of meekness, teacher of temperance; all this appeared to his flock by the very deed, the radiance of his life, and not just a verbal sermon. And so he was still a layman. And by such a feat, such love, such purity, such meekness, he acquired for himself the highest calling of the Church - to be appointed bishop, bishop of his city; to be before the eyes of the believing people (which itself is the body of Christ, the seat of the Holy Spirit, the divine lot), among the Orthodox people to stand like a living icon; so that, looking at him, in his eyes to see the light of Christ's love, to see in his actions, to experience Christ's divine mercy with his own eyes.
We are all called to follow the same path. There are no two ways for a person: there is a way of holiness; the other way is the way of renunciation of one's Christian calling. Not everyone reaches the height that is revealed to us in the saints; but we are all called to be so pure in our heart, in our mind, in our life, in our flesh, that we may be, as it were, the incarnate presence in the world, from century to century, from millennium to millennium, of Christ Himself.
We are called to be so completely, so completely given to God, that each of us becomes, as it were, a temple where the Holy Spirit lives and acts - both in us and through us.
We are called to be daughters and sons of our Heavenly Father; but not only allegorically, not only because He treats us as a father treats children. In Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are called to truly become His children, like Christ, partaking of His sonship, receiving the Spirit of sonship, the Spirit of God, so that our life may be hidden. with Christ in God.
This we cannot achieve without difficulty. The Church Fathers tell us: shed blood and you will receive the Spirit... We cannot ask God to dwell in us when we ourselves are not working to prepare for Him a holy, purified, God-consecrated temple. We cannot call Him into the depths of our sin again and again, if we do not have a firm, fiery intention, if we are not ready, when He descends to us, when He seeks us like a lost sheep, and wants to carry us back to our father's house, to be taken and carried away forever in His Divine arms.
To be a Christian is to be an ascetic; to be a Christian is to struggle to overcome everything in oneself that is death, sin, unrighteousness, impurity; in a word - to overcome, to overcome everything because of which Christ was crucified, killed on the Cross. Human sin killed him - mine, and yours, and our common; and if we do not overcome and do not get rid of sin, then we partake either of those who, through negligence, coldness, indifference, frivolity, gave Christ to be crucified, or those who maliciously wanted to destroy Him, wipe Him off the face of the earth, because His appearance, His preaching , His personality were their condemnation.
To be a Christian is to be an ascetic; and yet it is impossible for us to save ourselves. Our calling is so high, so great, that a person cannot fulfill it on his own. I have already said that we are called to be, as it were, grafted into the humanity of Christ, as a twig is grafted into a life-giving tree - so that the life of Christ would spring up in us, so that we would be His body, so that we would be His presence, so that our word would be His. in a word, our love is His love, and our action is His action.
I said that we must become a temple of the Holy Spirit, but more than a physical temple. The material temple contains the presence of God, but is not permeated by it; and man is called to unite with God in such a way as, according to the word of St. Maximus the Confessor, fire pierces, penetrates iron, becomes one with it, and it is possible (says Maxim) to cut with fire and burn with iron, because it is no longer possible to distinguish where the burning is and where the fuel is. Where is man and where is God.
This we cannot achieve. We cannot become sons and daughters of God just because we ourselves want it or we ask and pray for it; we must be accepted by the Father, adopted, we must become, in the love of God for Christ, what Christ is to the Father: sons, daughters. How can we achieve this? The Gospel gives us the answer. Peter asks: Who can be saved? - And Christ answers: What is impossible for man is possible for God...
Through deeds we can open our hearts; protect your mind and soul from impurity; we can direct our actions so that they are worthy of our calling and our God; we can keep our flesh pure for the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ; we can open ourselves to God and say: Come and dwell in us... And we can know that if we ask it with a sincere heart, we want it, then God, Who wants us to be saved more than we know how to want it ourselves, will give it to us. He Himself tells us in the Gospel: If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him...
Therefore, let us be with all the strength of our human weakness, with all the burning of our dim spirit, with all the hope of our heart yearning for fullness, with all our faith that cries out to God: Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief! With all the hunger, with all the thirst of our soul and body, let us ask God to come. But at the same time, with all the strength of our soul, with all the strength of our body, let us prepare for Him a temple worthy of His coming: cleansed, dedicated to Him, guarded from all unrighteousness, malice and impurity. And then the Lord will come; and will celebrate, as He promised us, with the Father and the Spirit, the Last Supper in our hearts, in our lives, in our temple, in our society, and the Lord will reign forever, our God to generation and generation.
Santa Claus
In Western Christianity, the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was combined with the image of a folklore character - "Christmas grandfather" - and transformed into Santa Claus ( santa claus translated from English. - St Nicholas). Santa Claus gives gifts to children on St. Nicholas Day, but more often on Christmas Day.
At the origins of the tradition of giving gifts on behalf of Santa Claus is the story of a miracle performed by Nikolai Ugodnik. As the life of the saint says, he saved the family of a poor man who lived in Patara from sin.
The poor man had three lovely daughters, and the need made him think terrible - he wanted to send the girls into prostitution. The local archbishop, and Nicholas the Wonderworker just served them, received a revelation from the Lord about what his parishioner had conceived in desperation. And he decided to save his family, and secretly from everyone. One night, he tied a bundle of gold coins that he inherited from his parents, and threw the bag to the poor man through the window. The father of his daughters discovered the gift only in the morning and thought that it was Christ himself who sent him a gift. With these funds, he married his eldest daughter to a good man.
Saint Nicholas rejoiced that his help had brought good fruit, and in the same way, secretly, he threw a second bag of gold through the window of the poor man. With these funds, he played the wedding of his middle daughter.
The poor man was eager to know who his benefactor was. He did not sleep at night and waited if he would come to help the third daughter? Saint Nicholas was not long in coming. Hearing the ringing of a bundle of coins, the poor man caught up with the archbishop and recognized him as a saint. I fell at his feet and warmly thanked him for saving his family from a terrible sin.
Nikola Winter, Nikola Autumn, Nikola Veshny, "Nikola Wet"
On December 19 and August 11, according to the new style, Orthodox Christians remember, respectively, the death and birth of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. According to the time of the year, these holidays received popular names - Nikola Winter and Nikola Autumn.
Folk traditions of celebrating the day of memory of Nikolai Ugodnik
In Russia, Nicholas the Pleasant was revered as the "senior" among the saints. Nicola was called "merciful"; temples were built in honor of him and children were named - from antiquity and until the beginning of the 20th century, the name Kolya was the most popular among Russian boys.
About Nikola Zimny (December 19) in the huts in honor of the holiday, festive meals were arranged - they baked pies with fish, brewed mash and beer. The holiday was considered "old man's", the most respected people of the village gathered together a rich table and had long conversations. And the youth indulged in winter entertainment - sledding, dancing, singing songs, preparing for Christmas gatherings.
On Nikola Summer, or Spring (May 22), the peasants arranged religious processions - they went to the fields with icons and banners, performed prayers at the wells - they asked for rain.
